Honey Roasted Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Feta #vegan #glutenfree

This sweet and savory side dish is perfect for the holidays and loaded with Fall flavor!

This savory sweet side dish is perfect for the holidays and you should totally make it right now!

Well, make it now, and then make it AGAIN for the holidays.

All of them.

Duh....

Delightfully delicious! The combination of sweetness from the butternut squash and honey paired perfectly with the tart and juicy cranberries is a thing of beauty!

The dish is super customizable too, so feel free to make it as sweet or sassy as you’d like. The feta adds a delightful twist, and can easily be swapped for an uber creamy goat cheese as well. I hope you love this tasty holiday side dish as much as we do! It’s become a staple in our house and I have a feeling it will be for years to come!

This simple side can be whipped up with just a few fresh ingredients and is loaded with Fall flavor.

You’ll Need:

• 3 lb large butternut squash (peeled + chopped)
• 1-2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
• 1-2 cups fresh cranberries (add a little, or a lot!)
• 2-3 TBSP honey plus extra to taste
• 1/4 cup finely crumbled feta
• ground cinnamon to taste
• fresh or dried parsley to garnish, optional

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Lightly drizzle or spritz a baking sheet with olive oil.
3. Add cubed squash to the sheet along with another drizzle of olive oil.
4. Sprinkle with a light layer of salt, pepper, and garlic powder, based on taste preference.
5. Roast at 400 F for 25 minutes on the center rack.
6. At the 25 minute mark, pull out the oven rack, and add your fresh cranberries to the roasting pan.
7. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cranberries have started to soften and burst a bit, resembling really juicy craisins vs fresh firm cranberries.
8. Remove from oven and add a sprinkle of cinnamon (approx. 1/8-1/4 tsp depending on preference) along with feta and honey. I listed the honey measurements I used, but depending on whether you used fresh cranberries or dried, sweeten to taste.
9. Garnish with parsley for a burst of color and dig in while it's hot!

NOTES:

• Feel free to use fresh or dried cranberries for this dish.
• Dried will be sweeter, while fresh with have a delightful punch of tartness to pair with the buttery squash and sweet honey. Let your tastebuds be your guide and have fun with it!